Committee passes bill on h.s. sports

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) - The Education Committee on Tuesday voted in favor of House Bill 1399 which would allow students who do not attend an accredited public or private school to participate in IHSAA sports programs. Currently home schooled students in Indiana are not allowed to participate in IHSAA sanctioned athletics.

“Indiana has a rich tradition of high school athletics, and we should not prevent academically eligible students from participating because they are home schooled,” Rep. Phyllis Pond , the bill’s co-author, said. “Sports at the high school level help teach students life skills such as hard work, commitment, and cooperation. These are all skills that will help students emerge as well-round adults.”

The number of home schooled Hoosier students has increased every year since 1985. There were more than 23,000 home schooled students in Indiana as of the 2005-06 school year, the most recent year this data was collected.

If the bill passes, Indiana would become the 22nd state to allow home schooled students to play on high school sports teams. Students would only be permitted to play for the high school in the district in which they reside.

The student would have to pass a nationally recognized test each year assessing that they have achieved the basic skills and achievement needed for each grade level, and meet the same requirements and standards that student athletes enrolled at the public school must meet. The school principal would also have to approve the home schooled student’s request to participate in the high school sport.

“These new student athletes will not be treated any differently than other student athletes. They will be expected to meet all academic requirements and follow the same codes of conduct as current student athletes,” said Rep. Pond.

The bill will move to the House Floor for further consideration. If the General Assembly passes the bill it would go into effect for the start of the 2011-12 school year.

Rep. Pond filed a similar bill, House Bill 1114 at the beginning of the legislative session, but has decided to co-author Rep. Timothy Wesco’s (R-Osceola) bill, House Bill 1399, instead.